Multipath characteristics of orbital angular momentum vortex electromagnetic radio waves over an infinite ground plane

Abstract

In this paper, the effect of an infinitely sized ground plane on the orbital angular momentum (OAM) vortex electromagnetic (EM) radio waves is investigated. Although the effect of an infinite ground on OAM wave propagation and communication has already been numerically examined in the literature using the method of moments (MoM), this situation needs to be examined analytically and theoretically derived final form expressions need to be obtained. The multipath characteristics of OAM waves in a superconducting ground plane are theoretically presented considering both horizontal and vertical polarization conditions. In addition to direct radiation to an observation point in the far-field from the array antenna, many reflected radiations from the ground plane are also transmitted. The most fundamental reflected radiation is analyzed over a uniform circular array (UCA), adopting electromagnetic image theory. Furthermore, the transmitted field expressions obtained by considering both the circular array parallel to the ground plane and the circular array upright to the ground plane are formulated in a general analytical form for an OAM wave on a superconducting ground plane. In addition, numerical simulations are applied to exemplify the properties of OAM waves in the superconducting ground plane, unlike the isolated medium.